Between a Rock And a Hard Place
by Callisto-HK
Summary: SPOILER ALERT! ** Dean was stuck between a rock and hard place. He had to make a decision and he had to act fast. He knew that whatever he decided to do, it'd make him feel guilty later; so he had to choose the option that would be worth it. /Set right after season 8. Rated T for language./ PLEASE READ THE A/N!


**_A/N: Don't read this story if you wanna stay spoiler-free._**

_This is a short one-shot that hit me when I was watching new season's promos! So yes, there will be spoilers, but this is not what we're gonna see on the show as it's been proven that my way of thinking is usually far away from the one of the writers'! Well, at least when it comes to Dean, since what I write is usually wishful thinking._  
_Anyway, I'd really like things to go this way, because, well, if there's gonna be a secret with Dean doing something behind Sam's back -to save him- and if he's going to feel guilty over it, this way at least it'd be interesting._

_Hope you enjoy it._

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**. Between a Rock And a Hard Place .**

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"_This is Dean Winchester_..." Dean paused for fraction of a second, but he didn't waver in his determination. "_And I need your help_." he continued just as firmly.

He then closed his eyes and let the silence and solace of the hospital's chapel engulf him.

His brother was unconscious, lying in a damn hospital bed and the doctors weren't sure if he'd wake up. The stupid jerk, calling himself a doctor, had even gone as far as to say that '_Sam's life was in God's hands'_. For crying out loud, there _was NO_ God. How could Sam's life be in _his_ hands if he didn't give a shit about what was happening in the universe and had been absent for ages?

His brother was fading and he had to do something about it. He just had to, because no matter what they'd experienced or gone through, he just couldn't lose his Sammy, his baby brother.

He might've learned his lessons about selling his soul for him, but he could still make a deal with someone or something less of a bastard,_ even if only a little bit_, than a freaking demon. He could still ask for help and offer something in return, to save his brother from the pain and misery he was stuck in.

There was nothing in the world that Dean Winchester wouldn't do for his brother. And if there was still a living soul,_ or a dead one_, that didn't know that, then they must be extremely slow. There was no way for it to be a secret. If you knew Dean Winchester, then you knew how much he'd give for his brother. It was as simple as that.

He'd already tried calling Cas and had found out that everything that had happened was solely on Metatron and that Cas was basically a human, now; so there was nothing he could do to help Sam; they were pretty much screwed.

And that was why, after so many things, he was sitting in that chapel and asking for help from the only one who seemed to be in charge those days. And that certainly wasn't _God_.

Minutes passed and nothing happened. Shaking his head, Dean stood up and walked out of the chapel, inwardly chastising himself for getting his hopes up. Of course they wouldn't help him. Why would they give a shit when they were the ones starting a chaos nearly as bad as the Apocalypse?

But he had to try; he just had to.

Dean was walking through the hallways when all hell broke loose; literally if you asked him. Because first there were loud noises and then glasses were shattering and raining on him from everywhere and it was his first day back from hell all over again when Cas had been trying to talk to him.

_Holy shit! _Angels_._ That should be it.

Goddammit; with that crazy sonofabitch, _Metatron_, in charge, who knew what would fall upon them? He clearly was outraged and out for revenge.

Hunter instinct had already kicked in and he was running full speed across the hospital corridors to just get to his brother's room.

He reached the nurses' station, only to find it isolated; the floor was covered in tiny pieces of smashed glass and as he walked around, they crunched under his feet.

He suddenly became aware that he wasn't alone anymore when the hair on the back of his neck stood up. And as he'd thought, right behind him was a very angry looking guy with an angel blade in his hand.

Wait a second, an angel blade?

Oh, great. Now angels were angry for falling from heaven and since they couldn't unload their anger on the real cause of their misery, either Castiel or Metatron, they'd find themselves the convenient target and of course they'd blame the Winchesters anyway. Everything that ever went wrong was their fault, wasn't it?

Jumping into the fighting mood, Dean was ready to defend himself and kill the man standing in front him if he had to. That thing might be a human, now, but he once had been an angel which was a synonym for douchebag in Dean's book. Besides, he was there to kill Dean, what else could the young hunter do?

But before Dean could do anything, a hand landed on his shoulder and turned him around roughly and a moment later the petite nurse was holding him in the air by his neck.

_Again_, hang on a second. Things were becoming more and more confusing.

If these angels had fallen from heaven, then just like Cas, they should be powerless, and the girl who was punching him in the face over and over again was anything but powerless.

They clearly weren't demon, either; so that left only one other option; they were there on behalf of Metatron.

Soon, Dean lost the number of the times that he'd been punched. It felt like he'd lost all of his senses. All he knew was that he was being punched, thrown to the ground, hauled up and punched again. He wasn't at the nurse station anymore and somewhere along the way, the angel blade in the guy's hand had been replaced by an axe.

Man, he must be hallucinating; this wasn't a hunt for 'the Axe murder'; why was this guy holding and axe?

That was the last coherent thought he had before giving in and letting go; and just like that he stopped struggling. He was still conscious when they started to drag him on the floor but the last remaining of awareness was gone within a few seconds.

.

Waking up was painful. Every cell in his body ached but it felt like his head and face had been particularly pounded with a meat tenderizer which probably wasn't far from the truth. Just one punch from an angel could cause way more damage.

Goddamit. That was getting too old too fast. What was with the angels and the grudge against his handsome face? Those bastards were the most jealous creatures Dean'd ever seen. They couldn't stand God loving the human-beings better and they couldn't stand his good-look. They were clearly adamant that they'd ruin it for him; because seriously, why wouldn't they hit him in the chest or somewhere else? It was _always_ his face. Well, _mostly_.

As the pain hit him full force, he involuntarily groaned and that was when he was once again pulled up by a hand on his throat.

"Enough." he gritted through clenched teeth, trying hard to get some air into his starving lungs.

The hand loosened and he fell to the ground.

_'That was it?' All he had to do to stop his torture was uttering that one word?_'

"Dean Winchester."

"Yes, you've got the right guy." he panted from where he'd fallen. "Tell me there's a reason for using me as a punch bag." One look at the present angels' faces and he regretted his words immediately. "Forget I asked." They'd probably either start beating him again or talk for the rest of eternity, coming up with reasons to answer his question.

"You called. Said you needed help." the girl said coldly.

"This wasn't what I meant by help." he spat before he could bite his tongue. '_And, girl, you need to work on your definition of a thorough massage.' _he thought to himself but didn't say it aloud.

"Consider it a little warming." the girl's face was expressionless. "What do you want?"

Dean considered his options, momentarily hesitating in asking for their help. But then he remembered Sam's lax figure in that bed and that was enough to make up his mind. "Sam. I want him saved. I-" he took a deep breath, which hurt like hell, and closed his eyes with sadness. "He's there because he was trying to close the gates of hell. You should help him."

"And why's that?" there was a sardonic and spiteful smile on the other angel's face when he asked that.

"I'm not asking for a favor." Dean snarled. "I'm willing to change places with him. Metatron owes us that much." he wasn't happy with the situation and if he could go back and change anything, he'd stop Cas from getting anywhere near Metatron, but now that things had gone this way, he needed to use it in his favor to help Sam. He'd deal with the guilt later.

A malicious smirk sat at the corner of one of the angel's mouth. "Deal."

Dean's eyes widened. "Really?" he couldn't help asking.

"You'll be sent to where your brother's trapped. You'll be able to bring him back and his pain will become yours. Physically and mentally. He's not in much pain, but-" He paused to give him a smirk, "yours will be worse because you're making a deal." the vicious look in his eyes belied the innocent shrug he gave Dean. "You won't be trapped in your mind like he's now, but you'll owe Metatron one. You'll pay whenever he decides to collect."

Dean's heart dropped. "What kind of debt are we talking here?" he said; his voice steadier and stronger than he actually felt.

"He hasn't decided yet."

"I will _not_ hurt my brother or anyone of my friends, so it'll be out of question." Dean said firmly. If he was going to sign a deal blindly, he'd at least add some of his own conditions.

"You're going to be Heaven's servant."

"No killing for heaven." Dean repeated stubbornly; he knew he was taking a risk there, but he couldn't sacrifice an innocent life for his brother; no matter how much he loved him.

There was a long pause and Dean was afraid that those angels would disappear any moment.

"Metatron accepts your condition." the angel in the nurse's body finally announced and Dean absently wondered if these angels still asked for permission before possessing a human body.

"You might need to sacrifice your own life for heaven's sake. The only death will be yours." _'The Axe Murderer'_ added.

_'I could live with that.' _Dean thought. "You won't collect my soul and torture it for the rest of eternity, though, will you?" he was suddenly scared. Hell wasn't something he'd like to experience again and besides, he'd learned his lessons.

"We're angels." the girl said, as if it'd explain everything. She even sounded a bit offended. "Your soul will be put to rest in heaven if you die. There's a chance you might not die; you could survive if you're as good as everyone believes you are."

_'Like heaven with Metatron in charge would be such a great place to stay at.' _For a second Dean thought about passing up; but Sam's life was at stake._ 'OK, so, the plan is to survive. No heaven.'_

Swallowing hard, Dean finally made his decision. "Deal."

The word was barely out of his mouth when he was zapped to Sam's room. One of the angels, the one in a dark jacket, was standing by his side, beside Sam's bed. '_Apparently they didn't need to kiss to seal a deal when it came to angels. Thank heaven for small mercies.'_

The guy put one hand on Sam's forehead and one on Dean's and instantly Dean was thrown into a world of pain and darkness. He somehow knew that it wasn't Sam's world; it was just the way to get there and Dean was already in pain from the beatings he'd received earlier, which didn't help the matters.

He wasn't sure how long later it was, but finally, he found himself in a foggy forest which if he'd spent any less time in Purgatory, he would've mistaken this place for it. But then again, for all Dean knew, it could be Sam's very own purgatory.

"Dean?"

Dean turned around and found himself face to face with Sam, who was looking bewildered and shocked to see him there.

Damn, it was good to see his brother.

Yes, he might've landed himself in a world of trouble and pain, and he might've just promised to do something really grim, but seeing Sam made him realize that it'd be worth it.

His brother wouldn't be happy with him if he _ever_ found out what he'd done in order to save him and he might not forgive him, but at least he'd be alive to hate him. Right?

He'd made the right choice.

He hadn't sold his soul like he once had; he'd just put his brother's pain on himself. He could deal with that much and owing a favor to Metatron wasn't good, but at least he'd made it clear that he wouldn't take anyone's life for those SOBs and they'd made it clear that they were angels and whatever happened, they still had some morals. '_Yeah, right.' _But well, so far, things weren't that bad.

He smiled tightly and grabbed Sam's left shoulder.

First things first; for now, he just needed to help his brother. He had to find a way to convince Sam to go back with him. He'd hit him and drag his ass back to the living world if he had to, but he'd fight this world that Sam had created for himself and he'd save his brother again.

He'd think about the rest later.

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_**A/N: **__That's it. I didn't intend to go through everything that the boys might face from now on; it's just supposed to be what I wish we'd see about Dean's "VERY CRUCIAL DECISION" and the reason behind his "whole new brand of guilt". __  
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_And I know that things won't go this way on the show, but I had to get this one off my chest, you know?!_

_Thanks for reading and hope you share your thoughts with me! __**Really wanna know what you think!**_

**_All mistakes are mine._**

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